Locking device for clasps.



J. G. LAPP.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR GLASPS. APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 22, 1912.

Patented Apr. 15, 1913.- I

WITNESSES:

JOHN C. LAPP, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR CLASPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 22, 1912.

Patented Ap1'.-15, 1913. Serial No. 685,422.

To all whom it mag concern Be it known that I, JOHN G. LAPP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looking Devices for Clasps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This inventlon relates to a latch, and is particularly designed for clasps which have pivoted jaws with handles extending from the backs of the jaws, these handles when squeezed together forcing the jaws apart. The latch is designed to normally place itself so as to lock the handles of the clasp apart and thus prevent the opening of the jaws by accident.

The device is particularly adapted for clasps that are used as jewelry, such as tieclasps, which clasps are very often released by pressure on the handles due to tlght clothin or by contact of the wearer with some 0 struction which causes the clasp to/ open and to drop oif. It is to prevent this accidental opening that the herein descrlbed latch has been devised.

The latch is provided with a handle whloh when normally pressed by the clothing and so forth is actuated to cause a more positive locking of the latch, but which, when engaged by the fingers, moves the latch so that the handles can be squeezed by the fingers toward each other and the jaws opened.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side view of a clasp equipped with a latch, the clasp being closed, the latch being in position to lock the clasp shut. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but with the clasp open. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a rear view of Fig. 1 but on an enlarged scale. Fig. 5 shows a modified form of stop.

The clasp consists of the jaws 10 and 11 which are pivoted at 12 and have the from meeting edges 13 which can be toothed or plain, the jaws 10 and ll being provided with the handles 14 and'15, respectively. The jaws are normally forced apart by the usual spring 16 as will be evident. The

latch 17 is pivoted as at 18 to the handle 14:, the latch swinging against a stoo 19, the stop having an extension 20 to imit the swing in a rear direction of the latch, the latch and the stop having abutting faces 21 and 22, respectively, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The latch is normally swung to its closed position by a suitable spring 23. The latch has a curved back 2 1, and projecting from the latch is a finger-piece 25 which projects down through a slot 26 in the handle 14:. The locking end of the latch and the finger-piece 25 are arranged at an obtuse angle to each other, that is they extend to the same side of the vertical, assuming that the vertical passes through the pivot of the latch, so that any pressure on the fingerpiece in the direction of the handle 14:, tends to swing the finger-piece 25 to the left, that is, looking at Fig. 1, to more securely lock the latch in its locking position. When the handles 14 and 15 are grasped between the thumb and forefinger of the hand to operate them, by a slight backward pull on the finger engaging the finger-piece 25, the fingerpiece along with the latch 17 are swung to the position shown in Fig. 2, and the handles 14 and 15 can be squeezed together as shown in this figure.

The above-mentioned latch for a clasp is cheaply made, does not affect the appearance of the clasp, and its operation is assured, the latch automatically taking its locking position when theclasp is arranged with its jaws together.

The stop can be made as shown in Fig. 5 with a series of notches or steps 32 which look the jaws at various distances so that the clasp can accommodate diiferent thicknesses of material so as to be locked even when the jaws are not entirely shut.

Havingthus described my invention, what I claim is':-

1. The combination with a clasp formed of pivoted jaws with rear extensions forming handles, of alatch pivoted to one of the handles and havin a finger-piece projecting through the hand e, the inner end of the latch forming a locking portion, the locking portion having a curved back to permit the forward swinginv of the latch forward by the opposed han le when the latch is unlocked, the latch being so disposed that the locking portion and the finger-piece are on the same side of the pivot of the latch when the latch is in looking position whereby inward pressure on the handles and the fingerpiece will force the latch to remain looked, a stop on the handle opposite the latch, the stop having an extension to form a shoulder to limit the swing of the latch, and a spring having means on the latch to yieldingly hold it in locking position.

2. The combination with a clasp formed of pivoted jaws with rear extensions forming handles, of a latch pivoted to one of the handles and having a finger-piece projecting through the handle, the inner end of the latch forming a locking portion, the latch being so disposed that the locking portion andthe finger-piece are on the same side of the pivot of the latch when the latch is in locking position whereby inward pressure on the handles and the fingerpiece will force the latch to remain looked, a stop on the handle opposite the latch, the stop having a series of steps forming shoulders which are successively engaged by the latch when the handles are swung apart, and a spring bearing on the latch to yieldingly swing the latch to its locking position when it is released.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand this 21 st day of March, 1912.

JOHN C. LAPP.

Vitnesses H1311. CAMFIELD, M. A. JOHNSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

